[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 92 (Wednesday, May 14, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20486-20487]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-08509]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Geological Survey
[GX25DK20UFD6100; OMB Control Number 1028-0114]
Agency Information Collection Activities; National Ground-Water
Monitoring Network Cooperative Funding Application
AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995,
we, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are proposing to renew an
information collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments. To be
considered, your comments must be received on or before July 14, 2025.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
[ssquf] Internet: https://www.regulations.gov. Search for and
submit comments on Docket No. USGS-Water-2025-0002.
[ssquf] U.S. Mail: USGS, Information Collections Clearance Officer,
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 159, Reston, VA 20192.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Fine by email at
[email protected], or by telephone at (919) 817-5395. Individuals in the
United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a
speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United
States should use the relay services offered within their country to
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all information collections require
approval under the PRA. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, nor is a
person required to respond to a collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control number.
As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent
burdens, we invite the public and other Federal agencies to comment on
new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This
helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements
and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public
understand our information collection requirements and provide the
requested data in the desired format.
We are especially interested in public comment addressing the
following:
(1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for
the proper performance of the functions of the USGS, including whether
or not the information will have practical utility;
(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection
of information, including the validity of the methodology and
assumptions used;
(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
(4) How the USGS might minimize the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g.,
permitting electronic submission of response.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other personally identifiable information
(PII) in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--
including your PII--may be made publicly available at any time. While
you can ask us in your comment to withhold your PII from public review,
we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Abstract: The USGS administers the National Ground-Water Monitoring
Network (NGWMN) which was developed through work with the Federal
Advisory Committee on Water Information and its Subcommittee on Ground
Water. This network is required as part of Public Law 111-11, title IX,
subtitle F, ``Secure Water,'' section 9507, ``Water data enhancement by
United States Geological Survey,'' codified at 42 U.S.C. 10367.
The NGWMN consists of an aggregation of wells and springs from
existing Federal, State, Tribal, and local groundwater monitoring
networks. To support data providers for the NGWMN, the USGS will be
providing funding through cooperative agreements to water-resource
agencies that collect groundwater data.
The USGS will be soliciting applications for funding that will
request information from the agency collecting the data. Elements will
include contact information (phone number and email address), and a
proposal describing their proposed work in support of the NGWMN. The
proposal will describe the groundwater networks to be included in the
NGWMN, the purpose of the networks, and the principal aquifers that are
monitored. Proposals may include work to become a new data provider to
the NGWMN, support for maintaining connections to agency databases, and
work to enhance NGWMN sites (updating metadata, well maintenance,
[[Page 20487]]
well drilling, and support for continuous water-level monitoring
equipment). The proposal would require estimates of costs to complete
the above tasks and a timeline for planned completion. The proposal
will be reviewed by the USGS and the NGWMN Program Board who will make
funding recommendations.
Title of Collection: National Ground-Water Monitoring Network
Cooperative Funding Application.
OMB Control Number: 1028-0114
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Renewal of a currently approved collection
Respondents/Affected Public: Multi-state, state or local water-
resources agencies who operate groundwater monitoring networks.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 20.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 20.
Estimated Completion Time per Response: 40 hours.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 800 hours.
Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory to be considered for funding.
Frequency of Collection: Annually.
Total Estimated Annual Non hour Burden Cost: None.
The authority for this action is the PRA of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et
seq.).
Joseph Nielsen,
Director, Integrated Information Dissemination Division, USGS Water
Resources Mission Area.
[FR Doc. 2025-08509 Filed 5-13-25; 8:45 am]
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